Shrewsbury 1-0 Lincoln - Report

Salop top goalscorer Udoh lit up an otherwise low-key affair with a rifled effort into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box to make it 15 goals for the season and underline Town's late charge up the League One table.

The narrow Montgomery Waters Meadow success - which came courtesy of Town and Marko Marosi's 14th league clean sheet of the season and third in a row - lifts Cotterill's men up to 15th.

Shrewsbury were decent value for the three points after dominating the second half having forced more openings on Lincoln keeper Jordan Wright's goal.

Salop eventually outbattled their visitors - who started the day three points and two places further back - in a stop-start clash not for the purists.

Town had worked keeper Wright in an improved second period after a forgettable first half in a contest which brought seven and six minutes of stoppages at the end of each half.

But the afternoon will live in the memory for Udoh's fine winner, in which he thumped in with minimal backlift to send the fans in the South Stand wild behind the goal.

It is Town's first trio of successive wins since the brilliant successes at Hull, Lincoln and Doncaster in the first month of Cotterill's time at the club. Shrews have now put themselves within two points of 12th with six games to go this term.

Town were weakened by the international calendar, with January recruit and defensive regular Tom Flanagan away with Northern Ireland, with whom he impressed in a 3-1 win in Luxembourg on Friday night.

Cotterill opted to include forward Tom Bloxham in Flanagan's place, shuffling his set-up as Town went to a 3-4-3 shape with Luke Leahy dropping from midfield into left centre-back.

Jet-setting fellow defender Aaron Pierre returned from duty with Grenada, with whom he played in a goalless draw in Gibraltar on Wednesday night. Pierre will not be involved for his country in Andorra on Monday and took a place on Town's bench.

Michael Appleton's visitors, meanwhile, missed two players due to international duty. Lewis Fiorini and Brooke Norton-Cuffy, on loan from Manchester City and Arsenal respectively, were away with Scotland and England youth set-ups.

Lincoln were without a substitute goalkeeper due to injury and unavailability but were able to welcome the experienced former Premier League midfielder Liam Bridcutt back into the squad after a lengthy lay-off.

The first period of a contest that had a slight end of season feel - with a lot owing to glorious spring weather - was cagey with few incidents in front of goal to speak of.

The Imps came within a whisker of opening the scoring after six minutes through Swansea loanee Morgan Whittaker, who found time on the right of the Town box before a low strike across Marosi's goal dribbled a couple of inches wide.

That aside both sides struggled to take command of the action. Possession was largely shared though it was the visitors who just about edged the territory stakes.

Town had ambition to work Udoh in down the left of their front three but a well-drilled Imps backline caught the hosts' top scorer offside. Down the other end the visitors looked to their left and former Market Drayton Town full-back Cohen Bramall, who was found on the overlap but his cross was gobbled up by Marosi at the second attempt.

Salop were close to conceding a penalty after the midway point of the half as emergency centre-half Leahy collided in the air with an Imps attacker, but the officials ruled the offence had taken place a fraction outside the penalty area.

A couple of breaks in play did nothing for the game's flow and one of the stoppages appeared a serious one as Imps defender Adam Jackson and Udoh cannoned into one another in an accidental collision on halfway as Udoh sensed a breakthrough.

The away defender came off the worse as he was flung to the deck. Both received treatment but Jackson - just as he did in the reverse draw at Sincil Bank in late October - was forced off after lengthy treatment, almost certainly as a result of concussion rules.

The incident meant seven minutes were added at the end of the half and Udoh received further treatment as he tried to run off an apparently hip concern.

Town were grateful to skipper Ethan Ebanks-Landell, who was particularly impressive in the first half, for a brilliant six-yard box clearance to deny Regan Poole an effort at goal from an Imps free-kick.

Rookie Lincoln keeper was on his toes to come out sharply and claim the ball from Udoh on the right side of the Imps box as the Shrews man sniffed a strike at goal.

Salop did get a first meaningful effort of note at goal five minutes before the end of normal time as Ryan Bowman teed up Josh Vela on the edge of the box and the latter's rising drive was tipped over the crossbar by Wright.

Some decent clearances from Imps defenders turned away danger with Ebanks-Landell lurking and George Nurse's low cross.

But the visitors almost marked the end of seven added minutes with an opener. Some uncertain goalkeeping from Marosi saw the keeper pass the ball out of play.

Lincoln worked it to right winger Teddy Bishop, who flashed a strike wide of Marosi's far post. The Meadow crowd called for their side to wake up as Cotterill asked his No.1 to clear his lines next time.

Cotterill sent Josh Daniels on for Bloxham at half-time and Northern Irishman Daniels had an instant impact after the restart.

He had slotted in at right wing-back, as Elliott Bennett shuffled into midfield, and Daniels' cross on the bounce from the byline was chested down by a Lincoln defender, as those behind the goal called for an ambitious handball shout.

Daniels then curled in a fine delivery to pick out Bowman at the near post but the striker could only help a difficult chance wide.

Salop cranked up the pressure around the hour and went close to an opener through Matty Pennington. A left-sided corner was well punched by Wright, Vela recycled play with a strong header and Pennington diverted an effort goalwards that appeared to be flying under the bar but for Wright's flying stop.

Salop were in the ascendency and forced Wright into more work as Nurse reached the byline with some nice skill before he found Leahy on the edge of the box. Leahy's low strike was deflected and the keeper held on well.

Loanee Tyrese Fornah again impressed for Salop, but it was his colleague Bennett, who had switched into midfield, woke up the Meadow crowd with a sublime piece of skill as his Zidane turn left Cotterill and Aaron Wilbraham chuckling after a tame strike from distance was deflected wide.

The resulting corner almost led to the breakthrough after a mishap from the otherwise solid Wright, who spilled a corner but gratefully dived on the ball on the goalline.

Lincoln made a rare venture forward 20 minutes from time as Whittaker's shot was blocked wide after the attacking had beaten Nurse all too easily.

Town had been the better side in the second half but it was not necessarily the case that it felt like a goal was coming.

Shaun Whalley was ready in the dugout to enter but, just as he was taking instruction, Udoh delivered some brilliance from nowhere.

The top scorer took a square pass from the right and as he approached the edge of the box, to the left, he took a touch, weighted up his options and rifled a fine low strike into the bottom left corner.

The effort had minimal backlift and barely gave keeper Wright a sniff. It was in before the shot-stopper even blinked, such is Udoh's power. The Meadow fans, and those behind the goal, erupted.

Whalley was introduced and he almost capped off a fine day with a wonderful second but lifted over after some fine skill.

Fortunately for Salop the Imps were unable to convert a decent late chance as a drilled cross was just out of reach for Chris Maguire six yards out, but that aside the hosts were comfortable.

Shrewsbury fans were left singing about heading to the Championship for the first time in a while, underlining the confidence and belief soaring through the club after this improved run of performances has bred wins and a surge up the table.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town 3-4-3: Marosi, Pennington, Ebanks-Landell (c), Leahy, Bennett (Pierre, 88), Fornah, Vela, Nurse; Bloxham, Udoh (Whalley, 88), Bowman.

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Daniels, Bondswell, Caton, Janneh.

Lincoln City (4-4-2): Wright; Poole, Jackson (Sorrensen, 34), Walsh, Bramall (Robson, 55); Bishop (Sanders, 80), McGrandles (c), Maguire, Whittaker; Hopper, Marquis.

Subs not used: Bridcutt, Cullen, Scully, Adelakun.

Attendance: 6,791 (461 Lincoln fans)

Referee: Chris Pollard